Heavy Rain demo impressions

While the demo is supposed to be released next week's upate on the Playstation Store, many of us who managed to play and solve the alternate reality web investigation game managed to get the demo codes a week early. So how is the demo?

First thing you will see is the menu which is fully rendered, which I am told will change depending on where you are in the game, which is cool and kinda like Half-Life 2. As soon as you start the demo, first thing that will come to your mind is the graphics. Before Heavy Rain, the title for best graphics for the PS3 belonged to and in some cases shared between Uncharted 2 and Killzone 2; now add Heavy Rain to the top of that list. This game looks amazing, the textures are as sharp as it can be, every object is modelled in such high polygon count that they look so damn real. The rain and water effects (this being Heavy Rain) is really well done and sets the tone for the entire game.

After a quick tutorial, you are shown how you control in heavy rain. It features a very unique control system which is unlike anything out there right now, but almost similar to the game's spiritual successor Farhenhiet / Indigo Prophecy (depending on where you bought the game). It is a mix of Quick Time events that works really well as the buttons are meshed together to the item you interact with, so it does not take you out of the experience. You move with the R2 button, change directions with the left analog and change between different camera angles with the L1. Admit it, it feels a bit iffy when you think about it, but trust me, after a few minutes in the game you will get the hang of it.

The voice acting is on the level of games like Mass Effect 2, Uncharted 2, Dragon Age etc so which is as best as it can be. The ambience sound, like a distant cop car, ambulance, thunder, which all dynamically changing depending on where your character is at the moment really adds to the realism and gloomy atmosphere of the game.

There are two scenes in the demo, which I wont spoil it and rather want you guys to try the demo for yourself next week. So what do I think? I really enjoyed it, the presentation is all top-notch, and I really like the way the story is going, really dark, gloomy, mature storyline. I cant believe I didn't keep an eye out for this one before, but now I do.